Foot accelerator pedal



G. DE C. SUTTON FOOT ACCELERATOR PEDAL Jan. 20, 1925. 1,523,460

' Filed Sept. 24, 1923 UT 1* 2 WW 2 w 1 n? T m 3 3 FIQS. P'IG.-6.

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Patented Jan. 20, 1925 v UNITED STATES GEORGE DE G. SUTTON, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

FOOT ACCELERATOR IPEDAL.

Application filed September 24, 1923.

To (ZZZ 7.0720772 it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE DE C. TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foot Accelerator Pedals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to foot accelerator pedals such as may be commonly adaptable to use on automobiles to provide simple and convenient means for operating a foot accelerator lever and in the meantime provide a comfortable foot rest in conjunction therewith.

The purposes of this invention, therefore, are first to provide an economic and simple foot accelerator pedal and foot rest com bined, in a device that will be of such de sign that it may be quickly and easily installed and quickly and easily repaired, as well as to prevent an unsteady foot pres sure on the foot lever due to the rocking of car when going over bumpy roads.

The desired objects of my invention are attained by the foot accelerator pedal described in the annexed specifications, recited in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate the same structural parts in the several figures.

I now refer to the several figures explaining in each case what is represented thereby.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the devlce of my invention showing the floor board on which it rests and to which it is hinged in section. Fig. 2 is a cross section of the accelerator foot pedal of my invention. Fig. 3 is an oblique drawing showing how the device of my invention is related in position to the foot accelerator lever upon which the device of my invention rests in sliding contact. Fig. 4 is a perspective of the accelerator foot pedal of my design showing a bottom view of the same. Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 respectively show two of the designs of pedal that would be practical wlth this device.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the several figures above mentioned and the desired means of operating this device will be clearly understood by carefully observing the figures given with the instructions which will follow, for normally operating the foot accelerator pedal of my invention.

Serial No. 664,486.

Referring now to the several elements of my invention in the respective figures, which elements are designated by numerals, I shall attempt to point out the relation of the several parts to the whole structure and the means of operating the device when in normal use.

Numeral 1 indicates the main body structure of the hinged foot pedal of my invention as it is shown in the several figures in varied positions and in modified periphery. Numeral 2 is the rubber cushion top surface of the device of my invention providing soft and resilient cushion surface for the operators foot to rest against when driving a car.

The accelerator foot pedal of my invention is secured to the front slanted portion of the floor board 5 by means of hinge 3 in such a position that when properly located it will provide a sliding contact between accelerator foot lever knob i and groove 11.

' In this connection it will be observed that for a pedal of this type it is desirable to provide means that will be adapted to insure a snug contact between groove 11 and knob l so that rattling will not occur as the car is moving over rough places in case the driver removes his foot from the pedal and for this reason means have been provided in a spring 6 which is attached at one end to a collar about the neck of accelerator shank 9, which collar is designated by numeral 7, at the other end said spring is attached to said foot pedal by means of screw eye 8. Thus it will be seen this arrangement will prevent the said lever knob from rattling in the groove when in normal use.

In ordinary practice it will be noted that foot accelerator shank 9 is adapted to normally operate through hole 12. It will be further noted that in order to provide adequate protection for the edge of rubber foot cushion 2 a substantial binding 10 is provided and substantially secured to the foot pedal 1 around the upper edge thereof. This binding can be metallic or other suitable material. 1

It is obvious after a careful study of the design of my invention that this device could easily operate successfully with any one of the several types of foot accelerator shanks for it is adapted to serve as a convenient hinged foot pedal resting in sliding contact on top of the ordinaryfoot knob and is held resiliently in such normal contact by means of a spring 6= or other suitable re-- silient means adapted to exert atensilestrain.

It is obvious that certain m1nor details 111 the construction of my inventionm'ay 'be 6-orany one of anumber of suitable outlines.

Having thus described the nature of my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A foot accelerator pedal provided with a hinge at one end, a longitudinal groove on the bottom side, a top surface covered with a .live rubber cushion'and a substantial metallic binding securely attached and covering the raw rubber edge about the periphery of the pedal; said pedal adapted to be hingedly secured to slanted floor board: of an automobile in'such a position as to provide comfortable foot rest means, and means for makinga sliding c011- tac-t With and :on top of :a foot accelerator lever knob as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A footaccelerator. pedal of the character described comprising in combination a hinged pedal, a rubber cushion covering the surfacethereof, a metallic binding covering the periphery of said cushion, a groove provided in the bottom. surface of said pedal-in a longitudinal directionadapted to provide a suitable slidin gfcontact betweensaid'pedal 1 and: the foot accelerator lever knob when the-former is resting upon said knob in normal-operating position; means provided in a resilient-spri11gforming a spring connection between said foot pedal and said accelerator lever knob adapted to exert a tensile strain downward on the pedal thus l10ldingthe pedal and knob in such contact as to prevent rattling; said foot pedal adapted to serve as convenient and comfortable foot rest means for the operators use when drivingthecar.

3. In a foot accelerator pedal device ofthe character described, the combination of a hinged foot pressure board 1 having rubber covered top surface with metallic binding securely protecting the edge thereof i with an integral longitudinal slot or groove inthe bottom surface thereof; a screw eye secured tothe bottom surface of said pedal-device,

a tensile spring-seemed to' said screw eye 7 at one end and secured to the shank of the foot accelerator lever at theother' end; said foot pedal device adapted to be hinged to the slanted floor board of an automobile in such position as will permit said longitudie nal slot to make COntflJCtWltll and on top of the knobat the end of said foot accelerator lever shank; which combination is adapted toprovide comfortable,- effective toot rest means when operat ng-a foot ac celerator while driving an automobile said spring device adapted toyexert a tensile strain between the knob and pedal to prevent rattling between said elements when operators foot is removed.

In witnesswhereof, I hereunto set my hand and seal,this-l5th dayof September,

GEORGE DE'G SUTTON. [L.-S.] Witnesses :1

VI IAN MoCALL, HELENL'lVloCnra).- 

